Microsoft Surface Pro 2 Firmware Update Finally Surfaces

Remember the firmware update that wasn’t for the Microsoft Surface Pro 2 back in December? Actually it was a firmware update, it was just so buggy that Microsoft pulled it. After pulling the update, Microsoft said they would re-release the firmware update after the holidays. Microsoft took flack for that, simply because for all intents and purposes it looked like the folks at Microsoft didn’t want to upset their holiday plans to address the issue. There was also a decided lack of communication about what the users who had succeeded in installing the update should do about the problem. Some could not install the update. They were apparently the lucky ones as those who could get it to install suffered battery life issues.

Surface Pro 2

Here was Microsoft’s statement on December 10, 2013:

To ensure the best experience for our customers during the holiday season, we have taken steps to remove the update for Surface Pro 2 that was previously published through Windows Update on December 10th, 2013. We are working to release an alternative update package after the holidays.

Well, the decided lack of communication part seems to have continued in a holiday hangover. Without much, if any notice, Microsoft has re-issued the firmware update. Now, don’t think this came through with this past week’s Patch Tuesday updates. It did not. Apparently it rolled out today, January 18, a few days after the most recent updates. Microsoft has yet to refresh the info on the Surface Pro 2 update page on its website either. It’s still frozen in a polar vortex with the December 2013 update being the last info. But perhaps that’s all there is to this update and they just fixed what’s wrong. But recent updates for the Surface 2 rolled out on this latest Patch Tuesday and that update page hasn’t been refreshed either.

The good news is the firmware update is available, so Surface Pro 2 users should be able to update and take care of some of the problems. I say “should” because we don’t really know what this firmware update contains. If you’re a Surface Pro 2 user who was caught in the middle with this firmware update, let us know if the re-release of the firmware update installs or works for you.

5 Comments

Mxc

01/19/2014 at 6:36 pm

Sleep to hibernate issue seems to be resolved although I did not leave it overnight yet. The fan going crazy when waking up the tablet from sleep is not resolved. I got it once already after the upgrade. I hit the power button, the fan went nuts for a few seconds and the tablet shut down. Common occurrence before this last firmware update – still an issue. Very frustrating for such an expensive device. I switched back to power button to hibernate as that seems to be the most stable combination. Very unhappy with Microsoft at this point.

aDX

01/20/2014 at 1:04 am

I didn’t even get the firmware update and I was one of the folks that received the Dec firmware update. So, I will wait another day to see if I get it. If not, Microsoft is going to get a very nasty correspondence from me.

lowmans100

01/21/2014 at 1:00 pm

Installed the January firmware update yesterday, Mon 20 Jan and today I cannot charge my SP2. All I get when the charger is attached is the battery connected not charging message, the screen brightness flashing and an unresponsive touch-screen. I had no issues with the December update but this one is likely to brick my SP2 if I cannot get a charge.

The only issue I had with the December firmware update was it coming out of sleep randomly. Not impressed, spent over £1k on what was a great device which has now not usable with the charger. Also I cannot contact MS support because they do not have live chat after 1900 and there is no alternative email contact.